Full lecture click here.

See also her book.

 

-we don’t hate on public ed teachers, they are often very dedicated wonderful contributors
-printing press, people got bible, main purpose of school was to study the bible. Libraries had sermons.
-school was a very family centered thing
-Joseph Smith was not as prone to perusal of books his mother said; if he was required to be in school he would have been in biology class instead of the sacred grove.
-The D&C directed them to write specific books with the gospel oriented ed for the saints; the school books despite the fact that they then had good stuff with bible stuff and McGuffey readers, but the Lord saw even that as insufficient
-almost all early church leaders were against public school
-BY didn’t endorse school by taxation, free/government school
-John Taylor: we don’t want people to teach the children who aren’t church members
-compulsory attendance, national testing, mandatory kindergarten, teachers using government curriculum; Horace Man father of US ed brought the Prussian education ways as listed here. US had highest literacy, this wasn’t to fight illiteracy. Horace was not Christian and brought this to take away the religious aspect of education which was going on in the Catholic schools etc.
-John Dewey a humanist saying that religion causes all the world’s problems; like worshiping the creation rather than the creator. Dewey says we must resist the idea of dualism (that there is a body and a spirit, and you must fight against evil) and he taught evolution instead.
-those in favor of public education are in favor of creating a new society. The Communist Manifesto point 10 says need free education for all children in public schools; Karl Marx spoke of mandatory free education for all children as soon as they could get along without mom.
-communists speak of the need to remove children from the family
-founders of US public education included the school room to be the church where humanism was taught. Quote cited in lecture.
-we are being told that we don’t have the constitutional right to teach truth at schools
-6-10-year old’s in Palmdale were surveyed asking how often they think about having sex and touching other peoples’ private parts, and other even worse questions; judges ruled that since it’s not in the bill of rights, parents don’t have the right to
-SLC county library has many homosexual books on the approved reading list for kindergarteners
-we and our children now pay the price for the disobedience of our grandfathers when they rejected prophet’s council on schooling
-Some say, “ah Brigham Young, John Taylor, those prophets were speaking for the people 100 years ago!” But Alma 12:9-10 says prophets can only give the portion of God’s word which the people are willing to heed, who hardens their heart gets the lesser portion of God’s word, “9 And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying: It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him. 10 And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.” Just like how Moses had to get the lesser law when the people rejected the higher. Also, when the Israelites wanted kings but were told no but begged for them, the Lord allowed it, and they paid heavily. We aren’t fully accountable for keeping these things, but the blessings are not available for not doing them. D&C 88:33 ‘what good doth it if a gift is bestowed upon a man and he receive not that gift?’ Tax funded schools are the arm of flesh, the tradition of our fathers. D&C 93:39-40 says “39 And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers.
40 But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth.”
-are tax funded schools serving God or man? Moroni 7:15-17 says things which don’t persuade to believe in Christ and God are of the devil, “15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night. 16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for everything which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. 17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.”
-1 Nephi 1 the first verse in the Book of Mormon says his parents are the ones who taught them, he doesn’t thank the state for free schools. “1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father”
-God punishes rejection of his word 4 generations, that’s about how long it has been since the prophets gave council to not use tax funded schools. This means we can now break free of this yoke of our forefathers’ disobedience. Numbers 14:18 says “18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.”
-If you knew that you and your children would be called on to lead a Zion people who voluntarily live Gods laws, would this change the way you teach your children?
-The saints had to leave Missouri because of their disobedience. D&C 105:1-14 says “1 Verily I say unto you who have assembled yourselves together that you may learn my will concerning the redemption of mine afflicted people— 2 Behold, I say unto you, were it not for the transgressions of my people, speaking concerning the church and not individuals, they might have been redeemed even now. 3 But behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and afflicted among them; 4 And are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom; 5 And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself. 6 And my people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience, if it must needs be, by the things which they suffer. 7 I speak not concerning those who are appointed to lead my people, who are the first elders of my church, for they are not all under this condemnation;
8 But I speak concerning my churches abroad—there are many who will say: Where is their God? Behold, he will deliver them in time of trouble, otherwise we will not go up unto Zion, and will keep our moneys.
9 Therefore, in consequence of the transgressions of my people, it is expedient in me that mine elders should wait for a little season for the redemption of Zion— 10 That they themselves may be prepared, and that my people may be taught more perfectly, and have experience, and know more perfectly concerning their duty, and the things which I require at their hands. 11 And this cannot be brought to pass until mine elders are endowed with power from on high. 12 For behold, I have prepared a great endowment and blessing to be poured out upon them, inasmuch as they are faithful and continue in humility before me. 13 Therefore it is expedient in me that mine elders should wait for a little season, for the redemption of Zion. 14 For behold, I do not require at their hands to fight the battles of Zion; for, as I said in a former commandment, even so will I fulfil—I will fight your battles.”
-Can we seriously think that daily scripture study and prayer is enough to teach our children all they need to know?
-if we teach our children for a telestial world they will live like telestial people.
-people list the reason for having their children in school being so they can get a job and have financial success in the world. Helaman 7:21 speaks of this, “But behold, it is to get gain, to be praised of men, yea, and that ye might get gold and silver. And ye have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain things of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear false witness against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity.”
-people say “my children have great things happening at school and great teachers!” well yes the Telestial is a kingdom of light, that of a star, but there is a greater light.
-forced attendance, “no child left behind”, forcing them all to salvation, this is Satan’s plan! Straight out of the scripture! None will excel, none will fall behind…
-public school involves shame, competition, force, fear, entertainment
-the model of the temple should be how we pattern our schools
-memorizing a little trivia now and then is not being educated; we focus on getting good grades instead of getting an education
-they always seek entertaining ways to entertain. This makes the materials fluffy, like feeding a child junk food so you can check off the box for having fed them.
-job training and education are not the same thing
-earth day, pride day, these indoctrinations for society are in our schools
-false pride comes when children get good grades, thinking themselves competent and as better than others with worse grades; they think accomplishments are their worth; the schools teach some children that they are great and others that they are not. Many people’s self-esteem is destroyed at public schools.
-materialism greed lust are common themes of these schools.
-sensitivity can’t exist in the public schools, existing there day after day you will be desensitized
-dishonesty often comes in public schools because of the exceeding pressure to compete, the children start cheating, and often unknown to the parents.
-we should teach that everything is one unified purpose of God, not compartmentalizing them; they think now is school now is church seeing them as different; they cheat in school and then pass the sacrament, the compartmentalization kills the conscience, eradicating the guilt.
-public education is Telestial education. Its experts coming up with curriculum, teachers who teach, and if my child fails, I’ll call a big meeting to get other people to start ‘doing their jobs’
-our kids get a little religion on the side of their telestial education, but that is not sufficient.
-Terrestrial education is education great and honorable but lacking in the doctrine of Christ. That is how scriptures describe terrestrial programs. Terrestrial education purpose is great education, understanding, not just memorizing and passing off tests, good methods of non-force, inspiring learning, great models held up for them, challenging them not just playing down to them, the great philosophies of men mingled with scripture; we read the great philosophers and think, ‘if only they had the gospel, oh what they could have done!’
-John Taylor, one great reason why many stumble in their research of philosophical truth is that they glory in their own intelligence rather than seeking the king of the universe, they see themselves as the inventor of their ideas instead of giving the glory to God; we hold up these philosophers as the role models of education, but that is not the fullness of what God has in store for us. 2 Nephi 9:28-29, 42 speaks of this, “28 O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.
29 But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God. …42 And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them.”
-God has almost always come to uneducated persons, with whom he doesn’t have to get around false notions. Consider Joseph Smith.
-some terrestrial education involves parents seeking good schools and footing the bill for their kids to go to those
-get a copy of the Book of Mormon and highlight everything it says about education, do this with D&C too.
-Celestial education is education in the context of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
-D&C 88:78-80 “78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand; 79 Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms— 80 That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.”
-D&C 130:18-19 “18 Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. 19 And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.”
-D&C 68:25-28 “25 And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents. 26 For this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized. 27 And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands. 28 And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord.”
-D&C 109:7 “And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom, seek learning even by study and also by faith;”
-the scriptures aren’t written in “step 1 step 2 step 3” but rather in the language of the spirit where we liken them to ourselves and find out what to do; God would have us learn this way. D&C 29:34 says all things are spiritual, no such things as temporal education, there is only Gods truth, and Satan’s deception. We can’t teach spiritual on the side; all teaching is spiritual, either spiritual for good or spiritual for evil.
– “Teach the Children” by Neil Flanders is a great book on this topic. It says education begins where creation leaves off. We educate to prepare our children to live a celestial life in a telestial world, to be a light on a hill, to be the leaders for God, to be able to abide celestial law, a very high standard.
-part of the mission for the young men is to learn to provide for their families, we aren’t debating celestial vs telestial education; the light of the sun swallows up all the light the star had; it’s a fullness, and includes the needed financial aspects. Jacob 2:18-19 says “18 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. 19 And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.” Providing temporally doesn’t mean giving them everything they want, huge houses, elaborate vacations, it means making sure they have shoes for their feet and things like that.
-2 Ne. 28:30 says God gives us a little at a time “30 For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.” D&C 50:24 says “24 That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.”
-John Taylor prophesied we will be brilliant, but this would be hard if we stay with the platforms schools give saying ‘all 6 year old should know this, 7 that, etc.’ (John said something like this: you mark my word, LDS will lead in every field of knowledge as much as they lead in religion; Zion will be as far ahead of the outside world. Let us live so angels can minister to us and the holy ghost dwell with us)
-2 Ne. 25:26 refers to teaching of Christ all the time not just weekly and for daily ritual: “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”
-we don’t check things off then move on
-Satan can’t tempt children under 8, they are a greatest gift to parents to have them to themselves and fill them full of gospel principles; though Satan can’t tempt them, he can influence them if we let him by putting them in bad environments. So, we protect them from Satan’s influence. Children in this age are very malleable, they believe whatever they are told. John Dewey etc. speak of needing to get children earlier and earlier to better indoctrinate them. Children need education straight and clear. The mother is the Holy Ghost for her child until they are 8 and get the Gift of the Holy Ghost. We even whisper in their ear what to say as they pray. We teach them truth. The scripture says God will gently guide those who are with young, like an extra free line of inspiration to know what to do with their children in Isaiah 40:11, “11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”
-Method 1: With Mom. The children need to be with mom. The moms dropping off their 5-year olds at school in tears, they sit they and weep ‘I just didn’t want to let them go!’ An older mother said, ‘I felt that way with my first child, and it gets easier with each child, and with my youngest child it was so easy, and I actually got to go shopping on my own!’ this is a case of ignoring the promptings of the Holy Ghost until they cease. The Holy Ghost is teaching you that children are too little to send away at that age!
-Method 2: Example. This is the main way we teach. We can only teach what we are. We as parents must be pursuing celestial education in our own lives.
-Other Methods: Loving kindness, dependability, FHE, church, prophets’ teachings
-teach every lesson in an eternal context; if we don’t know how it fits, we don’t teach it; don’t just teach letters because they are that age, but for the purpose of the prophets having commanded them to read the word of God. The children will then say, ‘I am getting bigger, can I read the scriptures yet?’ If you don’t know how something fits, take it to the Lord, ask him, if it is important to him, he will teach you how it fits so you can teach them.
– ages 8-12 are spiritual years, the goal is spiritual fluency. These children have been given the most valuable gift that exists on this earth, more valuable than all the treasures of the earth, The Holy Ghost. Do we treat them the same, leaving the gift unopened? They can now get confirmation from the spirit and know for themselves rather than leaning on your knowledge. They are also able to be tempted and are accountable for their sins. Never send your kids off to a school outside of your home before the age of 8. Some say kids need to be in worldly places to not be naive. The scriptures don’t say “be in wicked settings so you can learn to be strong”, that is a tradition of our fathers, the scriptures actually say “stand in holy places and be not moved”; developing spiritual muscle doesn’t happen in a place devoid of the spirit; it would be like a weightlifter taking in a little poison every day; the building doesn’t come by poison, but exercise. If the goal is spiritual fluency, that can only be learned in an environment where the spirit is. We have so many adults in the church who grow up in the church to be spiritually illiterate thinking ‘was that the spirit or just me?’ or ‘how am I supposed to have meaningful scripture study?’ we don’t want our kids to wait until the Missionary Training Center to learn how to use the gift of the Holy Ghost which they were given at age 8. They need to learn how to study by the spirit, where they seek answers by the spirit. If a mother prays she will be given answers of what to teach her child, namely to learn about the Holy Ghost and how it operates. Learn in Gods method of parables and symbols and the spirit. Object lessons are powerful. Those over 8 need personal scripture study in addition to family scripture study, they are accountable for obeying this, the prophet’s council. Have this be the first subject they study. They need a journal for recording their spiritual impressions, this is one of the main reasons we learn to write. The Liahona is the great model for studying how the Holy Ghost operates. Teach them that if a good thought comes in their head to do it right away, that it is like tuning a radio, and that each time obeyed it gets stronger, and each time ignored it gets weaker. When they know all of this, they are ready for learning more of the things of Gods world.
-never use force; contention of requiring them to finish homework etc. drives away the spirit, it is the telestial method.
-develop an inspired education plan lead by their interests. Ensure they know math reading and writing so they can use the spirit. It’s all for the purpose of training them to learn by the spirit.
-when they don’t learn, don’t get upset or just do it for them;
-give kids a topic have them write all they know on the topic, then have them say a prayer and write whatever else comes to mind on the subject; this teaches them that the spirit comes and expands and reminds us of things.
-use symbols, like Elder Bednar teaching about a cucumber becoming a pickle.
-age 12-18 is specific mission preparation, preparing them for adulthood, a mission is the full capacity of a life dedicated to the service of God; we were foreordained before coming to earth; we know ordination means hands placed on the head and reception of needed blessings and challenges needed to accomplish. God trusts these children as seen by their receiving the priesthood and being allowed to enter the temple. They are blessed with the most sacred powers of procreation going through puberty; these children are intensely seeking truth, they question, and if they have the spiritual foundation, they can build upon that. Children in this age are often seen as selfish, but God designed them to be stewards over themselves, they don’t have duty to oversee others so much at this time. Give them everything all the truth now, this is the adult preparation time, don’t wait to teach them until they are parents themselves. Teenagers are treated like little kids, told that they can go play and be paid for, keeping them busy with activities so they supposedly stay out of trouble, but at this age they need time to ponder. They also need much peer interaction whom can give them things they need which parents can’t give. They are also extremely vulnerable to Satan’s lives currently. Their decisions here effect the rest of their lives. They discover who they are eternally, they get patriarchal blessings, they discover pieces of who they were before earth and who they are at and after earth, and they must prepare like crazy. This is the age of Joseph Smith in the sacred grove, and young Nephi. They have capacity to learn and do great things here if they are given what they need. The churches mission is the redeem the dead perfect the saints and preach the gospel, so part of their curriculum needs to be how to do these lifelong callings of missionary work and temple work and seeking their ancestors. Use the missionary materials, missions aren’t 1.5 to 2-year things, they are lifelong things. So those are the critical things, in addition, teach them what they need for their life’s work. CS Lewis said when he applied to college, if math was a requirement, he would not have got in; we would have lost this great mind. This doesn’t mean be mediocre in subjects of less interest, but it means focus on what they are interested in. This is a great time to overcome weaknesses, so they won’t slow them down as adults. Add intensive seeking praying fasting scripture studying pondering time in the temple, the intensification of spiritual education; all of this takes time, you can’t overschedule them with requirements of the telestial world so much that they don’t have time for spiritual training. Council with the children, but also know that you have stewardship over them so don’t just let them do what they want. Some say, ‘we don’t have time to teach all these spiritual things or we won’t get in all the other things!’ but it’s not a choice of either or, rather, the spiritual enlightens everything. Don’t trap them in state curriculum but let them learn in the ways that God is inspiring them. Everything they learn, we measure against the word of God. For example, schools say man is a mammal from hair milk etc.; but the scriptures say that animals and humans were 2 entirely separate creations. We are not mammals under the animal kingdom, we are of an entirely different kingdom, so the kingdom we belong to is the ‘free agency kingdom’, that is what separates us, it’s the kingdom with God, man, angels, resurrected beings, demons, and devils. We have the capacity for being good or evil. Satan tried to take away our agency in premortality, making us like animals. He failed, so he came to earth, and continues to try and teach that we are animals! For peers, help them establish wonderful peer groups. They can be in groups where they speak of spiritual things to each other, an electric amazing environment, we can create this for our children in the celestial schools, they will give each other guidance and council and help each other discover their missions. Our children can be friends with other kids of people, but they must experience the great peer groups and recognize that in the other groups they are leaders and not to follow the crowd. For curriculum, they need to be able to pass the ACT/SAT for entrance to college, and yes, we teach them those things, but we are not preoccupied about which season those happen in.
-service is a critical part of our curriculum
-when God councils us to do something, he prepares the way for them to accomplish it. (1 Ne. 3:7). If we think this is daunting to be our children’s’ teacher, remember Nephi who built a ship and put his families’ lives at risk by putting them into it, but he trusted the Lord’s instruction concerning the ship.
-responsibility: in telestial the responsibility is someone else’s, in terrestrial we take the responsibility upon ourselves, in celestial we recognize the accountability to God of these duties, that it is not just teaching for our own reasons, but for God’s reasons.
-stage 4 the years of service, adulthood: in this stage, we continue to learn, serve God and man, build Gods kingdom, and endure to the end. This is when we build the kingdom in the most meaningful ways. We know and teach our children that our lives are not our own, but that we are bought and paid for with a price. So, our purpose isn’t to build a very large house. A problem with capitalists is they want freedom to perform their own ends; we need to be consecrationalists, who seek to serve the poor and build God’s kingdom.
-many say they like the separation of church and state, not wanting the schools to teach religion because it is the job of the parents; well, we are living in the days where, as Nephi said, good is called evil, and evil is called good. The constitution says there will be no laws infringing or influencing religion. They wanted religion free from the arm of government, but they very much depended on religion to influence government. Tocqueville commented on how many churches there were in America. We should be free to follow our prophet and educate our children the way we want to. The separation of church and state has been flipped backward. We must use the Book of Mormon as a reader, a tool to teach how to read. Some want to fight illiteracy. Thomas Jefferson said we “shock the common feelings by a forcible transportation and education of the infant against the will of his father” (note: along these lines, Thomas Jefferson said, “If it is believed that these elementary schools will be better managed by the governor and council or any other general authority of the government, than by the parents within each ward, it is a belief against all experience.”)
-for the parents who think their children are doing great in public schools, doing family scripture study, being the leaders in these telestial schools; consider Alma 23 with the Rameumptum, the poor were kicked out of the synagogue, the rich prayed saying ‘thank you for making us so much better than anyone else’; the poor were forced to be humble, they were kicked out, so they got to hear the prophets’ teachings. Many are forced out of public schools because their children are not thriving there, they were forced to be humble; this lead them to having access to light truth and knowledge, and later they counted being forced to be humble as their greatest blessing; but it says those who are not forced to be humble yet chose the higher way are so much more blessed as they take their talents here without having to be destroyed first. Parents spend most of their time trying to repair what has happened in school, but if we can instead spend our time teaching. Do we let our children climb up the Rameumptum and say ‘thank you God for making me so much better than others’?
-more about separation of church and state, schools not teaching religion, but Mosiah 23:14-15, 17, 20 & Mosiah 24:1 speaks of the schools Alma established for the saints. “14 And also trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister, except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments. 15 Thus did Alma teach his people, that every man should love his neighbor as himself, that there should be no contention among them 17 And it came to pass that none received authority to preach or to teach except it were by him from God. Therefore he consecrated all their priests and all their teachers; and none were consecrated except they were just men. 20 And it came to pass that they did multiply and prosper exceedingly in the land of Helam; and they built a city, which they called the city of Helam. 1 And it came to pass that Amulon did gain favor in the eyes of the king of the Lamanites; therefore, the king of the Lamanites granted unto him and his brethren that they should be appointed teachers over his people, yea, even over the people who were in the land of Shemlon, and in the land of Shilom, and in the land of Amulon.” The teachers can’t be influenced by the Holy Ghost unless they are righteous, hence the need for people of God to be the teachers. Further, they didn’t just study about religion, else they would have remained poor, but it says they ‘prospered exceedingly in the land’. NOW COMPARE this to the school of the Lamanites, where they prospered but were wicked learning the worlds ways and eventually persecuted God’s people, in Mosiah 24:5-8 “5 And they were a people friendly one with another; nevertheless they knew not God; neither did the brethren of Amulon teach them anything concerning the Lord their God, neither the law of Moses; nor did they teach them the words of Abinadi; 6 But they taught them that they should keep their record, and that they might write one to another. 7 And thus the Lamanites began to increase in riches, and began to trade one with another and wax great, and began to be a cunning and a wise people, as to the wisdom of the world, yea, a very cunning people, delighting in all manner of wickedness and plunder, except it were among their own brethren. 8 And now it came to pass that Amulon began to exercise authority over Alma and his brethren, and began to persecute him, and cause that his children should persecute their children.”
-is your motivation in schooling your children for them to be wise, to be rich, or is it for them to be the children of God?
-in telestial education, remote politicians without the gospel truth nor the Holy Ghost make the decisions for the children. In terrestrial education they rely on the brightest minds they can find. In celestial education we look to God.
-letting go of the traditions of our fathers is very painful.
-telestial ed is “this is what’s on the test say it and get an A”, terrestrial ed is “think for yourself, search and test things”, celestial ed is “seek all truth, ask Gods guidance and confirmation as fundamental guide”
-kids learn multiplication in a class, but the environment is the real teacher; they learn that the world is not safe, that they have to do well, to prove their right to be here; if they struggle in school the lesson they learn is I’m stupid; if they are smart they learn they are good because they know all the answers; we can wait to teach until a student is ready to learn, it’s a positive environment. The temple is non-competitive, you really can’t do better than someone else at the temple, there is no contention, challenges are taken to the Lord. “let’s see what God says about why this is hard for you: “God gives weaknesses that they may be humble” so God is giving you an opportunity!” they can study why there is the challenge, family prayer can be operated to help them in their challenge
-developing talents: telestial ed is ‘everyone is the same, do what we tell you to; use your talents to serve yourself’ terrestrial ed is ‘develop your talents good job you are wonderful look what you can do!’; celestial ed is ‘look at what you can do, God could have given that talent to anyone but he gave it to you, your Heavenly Father must trust you so much to give this talent to you, he must have a great work for you to do, I’m very thankful to be your parent and your teacher’; the celestial ed version brings humility not pride.
-discipline: telestial ed, ‘might is right. Force. Bribery. Punishment, inconsistency. I’m bigger and more powerful and I said so’ but eventually you’re not bigger anymore and kids say, ‘so make me’ and rebellion comes. In terrestrial ed, ‘rule of law, regular consequences’; celestial ‘based in love, common obedience to God, parent needs obey also’. Ask your child what you can do to teach them to be kind and loving to each other as King Benjamin taught we need to do. Celestial education doesn’t mean we have perfect children. The law of suffering is upon us as we labor to teach them. Just like God, our children don’t need to be perfect for us to be perfect parents.
-if you didn’t raise your children in these ways and didn’t know about this, you weren’t accountable; if you feel you messed them up beyond repair this is not so because even in the next life there is progress, and our children will be ours if we are obedient to God.
-teachings: how to: we don’t break down the subjects like we do in telestial because all learning is the gospel.
-Teaching reading in telestial is ‘sit and do this because you have to, now now now, it must be done by age 6, maybe earlier but never later! Read because reading is needed, and you need to go to the next grade!’ Rather, teach them to love reading. It’s better to teach a 7-year-old to love reading than teaching a 6-year-old to read if he hates it. If you ever let contention in, you know immediately it is telestial. Your children are different do not hold them to the same standard on reading, do not enforce out outward expectations on them, God made them; we don’t want one to think it is better or worse than another, they are all created in Gods image and are smart and wonderful.
-teaching writing: telestial is ‘know how to write for writings sake’ in terrestrial, ‘writing is important because it helps you think and learn’; in celestial ed ‘writing enables you to keep a journal, to write letters, etc.’ the goal is to write celestial truth.
-teaching history: telesital is ‘memorize names dates places to answer on test’ which says this is dumb boring and not applicable to me; terrestrial is ‘learn of great historical figures, the course of mankind to not repeat our mistakes, how to be like a great person, how to influence human affairs’, this can be used diabolically, for power. Celestial is ‘eternal context of history, what events did in God’s plan, how did they do in their stewardships did they obey God, will their choices bring them eternal joy?’ the celestial lesson is that talents opportunities and challenges are all from God, and God used them. Then they think ‘what has God given me how will he use me?’ wanting to be themselves not wanting to be someone else.
-work: telestial says ‘hire someone to do it, be successful so you can hire it out, seek the easy and most dollar’; terrestrial says ‘the American dream, you can build a kingdom for yourself, you can be the US President, start a company, invent something, be great, accomplish my goals’; celestial says ‘God created this world for work.’ God cursed the land for Adam and Eve’s sake, for their wellbeing. Work can accomplish wonderful things, building temples and settling places look at what that accomplishes. Work is the method of contribution in the law of consecration.
-teaching math: telestial, ‘follow these steps a b c plug the steps show all work so I know you followed all steps’ this results in ‘when will I ever use this I hate this I need a calculator’; terrestrial is ‘true understanding of math concepts, thinking mathematically, understanding process and usefulness’; celestial is ‘numbers are our way of understanding Gods creation, there is a system, they are mathematically, maybe God will teach us more math someday, without math we don’t understand order, we need this to become like God, God has meanings for numbers which enlivens scriptures’ just never let this be a point of contention
-teach health, science, behavioral science, money management, etc.
-outcomes of celestial ed: service vs earning; kids who value service, not worried about how to provide for a family but how to contribute to the world in a way only you can; kids with gospel foundation, who can seek truth, who have spent time and energy preparing for their mission, these adults will be very prepared to provide for their families. School college job doesn’t work anymore, many college graduates can’t provide; getting stuck in a job you don’t enjoy doesn’t have to happen so much if the kid prepares for this stuff; Joseph Smith wasn’t very good at providing exceedingly well they were often quite poor, but this shows us that the role of providing isn’t everything. It’s essential, but we take it too far so often. Other celestial ed outcomes are humility and sharing, not seeking to put others down to get up, its cooperative; we don’t want our kids to put others down but to wish for others’ success as much has their own. Another outcome is charity vs greed, we don’t want nicer cars vacations and houses we want to serve the poor; another outcome is compassion vs judgement, not thinking we are smarter than others via grade and team rankings. Kids in homeschool can think they are different since the norm is public school, we teach them it is a gift to use to help people not to think ourselves better. Another outcome is faith over fear; we don’t fear that we can’t do celestial ed or that our kids won’t fit in, we have faith that God has not led us astray in his councils. If we decide via fear it’s from Satan; know that you have power to act on promptings, that you’ll become powerful as you obey him; God can make you a brilliant teacher who can teach your children everything they need to know, so you can watch them soar beyond our wildest expectations. Another outcome is love and sacrifice: we face our insecurities, we give up our time and means to provide this education, we love God enough to raise up unto him an obedient generation. Another outcome is a sound mind, knowing that we are in an awful situation and that public school is not the will of God, we do not need to let our minds be darkened because of disobedience because of the traditions of our fathers, we don’t have to follow the masses. We can raise the leaders of a generation dedicated to God. Make a righteous people the Savior will come to in Zion. We are raising a generation prepared to live in the Millennium.